Russia has started sending the first batches of free grain to struggling African nations under a deal announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this year. This week, Somalia became the first to receive a shipment of 25,000 tons of grain. 

In July, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the Russia-Africa Summit that Russia had decided to send free grain as humanitarian aid to six African countries on the World Food Program's list.

A ship carrying humanitarian grain from Russia arrived in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Thursday, the Somali national news agency reported.

Mars, the maker of some of America's most beloved candies, has been exposed for using child labor to harvest cocoa beans in Ghana, a new bombshell report found.

CBS News visited Ghana's remote cocoa belt and found children as young as five working on farms that supply the chocolate giant - despite the company's pledge to protect children.

The Sudanese army and paramilitary forces traded fire Monday across the Nile River in the capital Khartoum, witnesses said, in the eighth months of a war rights groups say has been rife with atrocities.

Coup leaders in Niger have overturned an eight-year-old law criminalising migrant smuggling in the country.

The legislation allowed authorities to take action against smugglers who transported migrants through Niger's vast desert on to Libya and Europe.

But President Mohamed Bazoum - who had worked with the EU to stem the flow of people across the Mediterranean - was overthrown in July in a coup.

Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani has since declared himself the new head of state.